Turkey asks Norway’s ambassador to explain himself after Norway and several western countries demanded that the imprisoned regime critic Osman Kavala be released.
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Several embassies in Turkey, including the Norwegian one, issued a statement on Monday demanding that Kavala be released, writes the pro-regime newspaper Daily Sabah.
Kavala, a businessman, was jailed four years ago for his alleged role in the 2013 demonstrations and uprising in Gezi Park.
The state news agency Anadolu reports that Turkey is calling the ambassadors from the countries behind the statement to the floor to explain themselves.
“All diplomatic missions are committed to respecting our country’s sovereignty and independence, and to refraining from interfering in internal affairs,” a spokesman for the party told Turkish President Recep Erdogan.
Asks for release
The statement has been published on, among other things the website to the Norwegian embassy. It refers to a decision of the European Court of Human Rights which has accused Turkey of violating the human rights convention by keeping Kavala imprisoned.
– We ask Turkey to ensure that he is released immediately, it is said from the embassies.
In the statement, the countries also claim that the case against Kavala “casts a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and the openness of the Turkish judiciary”.
Demonstrations degenerate
In addition to Norway, the United States, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden are behind the statement.
The demonstrations against the plans to build a shopping center in Gezi Park in Istanbul in 2013 gradually developed into a larger protest movement.
The prosecution in the trial claimed that the protesters wanted to overthrow the Turkish government, which the defendants rejected.
Kavala was acquitted last year of the charges of participating in the demonstrations, but was remanded in custody immediately after the acquittal.
Rejects the accusations
The renowned activist and philanthropist has thus been imprisoned for four years.
Immediately after the acquittal, he was charged again with espionage and involvement in the coup attempt in 2016.
Erdogan said in a speech shortly after the acquittal and the subsequent arrest that billionaire and democracy activist George Soros is behind Kavala, which he believes is proof that Kavala is trying to undermine the government.
Kavala denies the charges in the indictment against him, which could lead to life imprisonment.
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